The Need

More than 1 in 3 women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking in their lifetime and approximately 7 million women are raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former intimate partner each year.

1 in 5 women and 1 in 77 men has experienced rape in her or his lifetime.

Nationwide, an average of 3 women are killed by a current or former intimate partner every day.

Approximately 15.5 million children are exposed to domestic violence every year.

1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.

Children exposed to violence are more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prostitution, and commit sexual assault crimes.

A 2009 study found that the costs associated with murder are staggeringly high: the average victim costs exceed $6.5 million, with more than $426,000 in justice system costs.

In the U.S., rape is the most costly crime to its victims, totally $127 billion a year, which includes medical costs, lost earnings, pain, suffering, and lost quality of life.

Domestic violence has been estimated to cost employers in the United States up to $13 billion each year. Between one-quarter and one-half of domestic violence victims report that they lost a job, at least in part, due to domestic violence.

1 in 10 Americans aged 60+ have experienced some form of elder abuse.

One study estimated that only 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse are reported to authorities

Almost 90% of elder abuse and neglect sufferers are victimized by a family member. Two-thirds of perpetrators are adult children or spouses. credit: National Council on Aging

The Sacramento Regional Family Justice Center (FJC) collaborative provides victims and their families with a “one stop” facility to report a crime, provide a complete statement taken by a detective or a trained child interviewer, get assistance to obtain a temporary restraining order, find safe housing, meet their prosecutor and victim advocate to learn what will happen in court, and most importantly, find the support they need to keep them from falling back into the hands of the accused.

This collaboration will help fill the cracks in our current system, allowing us to reach victims early and help us put an end to domestic violence. We know this is an effective model, as evidenced by a number of similar collaborations through our state known as Family Justice Centers. There are 13 counties in California that have established successful FJCs.

The safety and well-being of our men, women, and especially our children is the foundation needed to sustain a thriving Sacramento region. Like any successful business model, the FJC allows for a coordinated, more efficient and effective delivery system of the critical services and support that our existing agencies provide, resulting in lives saved and less violence in our community.